Engineering360: "Facebook Challenged Over Decisions Concerning Hate Speech, Violent Content"

Face book is being challenged by highly vocal, special interest groups that feel that their "Ox is being gored". But Facebook, is not a intended to be a propaganda media. It was originally promoted, and is generally thought by most, to be a forum in which anyone can post material that is of interest to them or their friends.

But if there is to be "freedom of speech", and still allow anyone of any age, race, religion or sexual orientation to be comfortable using that media, there must be rules of civility. Those are the same rules that you would use at a dinner party, in a school room or while trying to explain something to business partner. They are not the same rules that would be used in a high school or college locker room,a bedroom between a loving couple, or at a political rally. Yes, you have Free speech but there has to be commonsense rules and limits of civiality

No matter how much political and civil pressure is applied, Facebooks decisions must be based on clearly defined, even handed rules. Some examples of the material that Facebook should never allow to be posted would be: foul language or language that specifically targets some race, religion or sexual orientation. The promotion of slavery, or pedophilia. Unnecessary nudity or explicit sexual content. The promotion of sedition, violent actions, murder or suicide.

On the other hand, if people are to understand the problems of the times and make intelligent decisions, all sides of a problem must be presented. That is the purpose of free speech, under no circumstances should a posting be removed based SOLELY on race, religion, skin color, sexual orientation or political affiliation of the person posting the material. Censorship destroys free speech and that prevents intelligent decisions.

keep it civil but beyond that leave it alone.

Daniel Donnelly